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Christmas in Provence: The 13 Desserts
Christmas in Provence includes the 13 Desserts. Learn what they are and how they are presented.
In Provence there is a special Christmas culinary tradition.
In Provence there is a special Christmas culinary tradition. Family and friends share 13 simple local delicacies at the end of the Christmas Eve dinner. Curious? Follow us as we tell you about this quite recent, but catchy, Provencal custom.
The story begins at the foot of Mount Garlaban in the town of Aubagne … and always finishes in our plates!
In Provence, connecting religious symbolism to food has always been an important part of Christmas. So at the beginning of the XXth century a group of townsfolk in Aubagne decided to pair up a selection of 13 regional desserts as representations of Christ and the 12 apostles. The point was to highlight the delightful local specialties and imbue them with religious significance while also showing family and friends that you were wealthy enough and/or well organized enough to make it through winter with ease, and thus could share your bounty with your holiday guests. The desserts are presented and eaten on Christmas eve and the leftovers stay on the table for the next 3 days. Everyone picks from the table what they like.
Now, how about we discover what they are?
A long list of magical delicacies!
The list of 13 elements is not precise. But there are 6 that you’ll be sure to find on the table each time. Of these 6 specific desserts, 4 represent religious orders: nuts or hazelnuts (Augustinians), dried figs (Franciscans), almonds (Carmes) and raisins (Dominicans).
And 2 are simply delicious: black and white nougat and pompe à l’huile which is an oily flat bread.
Other than these 6 essential items, there is a series of elements from which you can choose from in order to complete your farandole of 13 desserts:
- Dried and sugared fruits
- Calissons d’aix, which are candy-like delicacies made with almond paste and sugar
- Fried cakes like oreillettes and beignet, similar to doughnuts
- Candied fruit
- Clementines
- Quince paste
- Apple and pears
- Prunes
- Oranges (which are a symbol of wealth)
- Orange blossom Fougasse, which is also a kind of flat bread.
- White grapes
- Almond-based cake
What an interesting combination! And even if it’s not at Christmas time, we often browse the markets and offer tastes of some of these local specialties, especially things like the calissons, quince paste and the candied fruits of Apt. Want to learn, see, taste or do more? Look at our website!
Tour Paris over the Holidays: 9 Special Things To Do!
TOUR PARIS OVER THE HOLIDAYS
9 SPECIAL THINGS TO DO AND SEE!
(and 1 extra!)
1. Tour Paris to see the decorations and trees. Each Arrondissement (neighborhood) puts up specially decorated trees in strategic locations. Get an idea of which arrondissement and which trees you'd like to see and go on a hunt for your favorites!
2, Oysters and champagne by the riverbank. Every holiday season, on the lower level embankment of the Seine River, by the Eiffel Tower, there are Champagne and Oyster vendors...check them out. What an experience to sip Champagne by the riverside, feast on oysters (or some other gourmet treat) and to do so all in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. Even better --wait til it's glittering at night!3. Pastry and hot chocolate tastings. Take an afternoon stroll and taste the famously rich hot chocolate of various famous and lesser known hot chocolate vendors. Angelina's is of course the most well known --They are famous for having both white and dark hot chocolate. I think this pairs just perfectly with their famous Mont Blanc pastry. That chestnut and meringue confection is not too rich to pair with their thick hot chocolate --yet it holds its own. Or, if you have the chance, purchase the "mix" offered by Pierre Herme to take home to make. What a treat! 
4. Christmas markets. Visit the Christmas markets. Each of them are different. Some have more foods/wines. Some have more gifts and some specialize in art or antiques. All have warm spiced wine and gourmet goodies and gifts. We like to find the special artisan vendors who have come to Paris from the countryside. They carry high quality and unique products. Hint: Many vendors in street markets, the Christmas ones included, will occupy the same space year after year --so once you find someone you love, you are likely to find them easily the next time!
5. Skating in Paris...in front of City Hall (where Rodin sculpted) or even in the shadows of the Eiffel Tower. Need we say more?
6. Notre Dame for Christmas mass. Even if you are not Catholic, this is certainly an interesting experience.7. Christmas dinner --Culinary treats abound in Paris over the holidays. Whether your tastes run to casual cafes and a glass of red wine, or something more whimsical or even something traditionally formal.....The gastronomic treats are endless. Truffles, scallops, roast pheasant, veal and duck, special cheeses infused with truffle or aged for many months until tiny bits of crystal appear --adding texture and punch --bouches de Noel, and other traditional desserts--in fact, there are 13 traditional desserts for Christmas. Our last few Christmas lunches and dinners in Paris included Champagne, foie gras, oysters, scallops, truffles, roast leg of lamb, truffle stuffed chicken breast, specialty breads, homemade desserts and fabulous wines from Burgundy and Chateauneuf du Pape...I'm stuffed just writing about these feasts. Make sure you don't miss out on any of these wonderful treats!
The gastronomic treats are endless. Truffles, scallops, roast pheasant, veal and duck, special cheeses infused with truffle or aged for many months until tiny bits of crystal appear --adding texture and punch --bouches de Noel, and other traditional desserts--in fact, there are 13 traditional desserts for Christmas. Our last few Christmas lunches and dinners in Paris included Champagne, foie gras, oysters, scallops, truffles, roast leg of lamb, truffle stuffed chicken breast, specialty breads, homemade desserts and fabulous wines from Burgundy and Chateauneuf du Pape...Remember, this is red wine season --if such a season exists. Too hot for many reds in the summer, and white's just won't warm you up or stand up to that hearty winter fare! So, your best reds will be now!I'm stuffed just writing about these feasts. Make sure you don't miss out on any of these wonderful treats!
8. Concerts. Whether it's Gregorian chants, or classical concerts, there are wonderful concerts held in the area churches and museums. Imagine listening to chanting in a Medieval building, or a choral group in a 1000 year old church. Check into it!9. Museums....That's right. Visit the museums. What a great time of year to walk the city and come in to warm up (though last year it was about 55 degrees in mid December) while looking at world class art. We specifically take our clients through several of the smaller museums. Spending the day weaving in and out of these museums, mixed with the Christmas lights, and the early sunset, really makes for a magical adventure.
If you have any ideas of your own to share, or if we can answer any questions, contact us at wendy@blisstravels.com
Tour France: 5 Tips for the Holidays in Paris, revisited!
5 Tips on How to Have it All: The Best of Being Home for the Holidays & Getting Away!
3. Seek out some of your holiday favorites in your new destination. Do you love love love Chestnuts at Christmas time? Fine. Enjoy them locally prepared while you’re away. Do you always have hot chocolate on Christmas morning, or roast goose or 7 fishes or a special dessert on your holiday? Great! See how the locals prepare it. (I can only speak to France, but the French do all of these things extremely well. So no worries for us!)
4. Enrich your memories and experiences. Do you always take a walk? Sleep in? Go to mass? Do it somewhere else. You’ll forever say “remember that year we went to Christmas mass or took our walk…in that special vacation destination. Trust me. In the years to come, you won’t be saying –”gosh, I wish we hadn’t taken that Christmas morning walk along the Seine in 2011. Our neighborhood is so nice.” Nor will you say, “I’m so sorry we missed our local mass. Notre Dame wasn’t really all it’s cracked up to be.” You’ll be reminiscing about how lovely it was back then, and those memories will bring a smile to your face!
5. Develop new traditions while you’re abroad that you can incorporate into your future holiday celebrations. We all love our favorites. Grandma’s cookies. The roast beef or turkey dinner. But, sometimes it puts a little zing in the holidays to add something new to the mix. Maybe, while you’re away, you’ll find something new you love to do, eat, drink, see….(I sure hope so). Then, next year, you can engage in that activity at home. I have a friend who brought me some very special tea and cakes from Europe one year. Now, we make or buy those same items each year around the holidays. Not only is it a good memory, it’s a new and special treat.
6. Enjoy the company of others. Go with a group and/or bring a loved one, or a friend, or two. It doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think. You can get cozy and share a room (since you probably won’t spend much time in it anyway, or you can live it up and do something super luxe.) You can enjoy your time with the people you travel with (even kids, who everyone worries won’t travel well, do, in fact, enjoy new locations. They’re interested and entertained and just as happy as you are. I know. Really. We do it all the time.) You can even travel alone and make new friends. Our experience from our small group trips is that people truly enjoy each other’s company and often remain friends and keep in touch.
Tour France: Holiday Chocolates in Paris
Chocolate in Paris
Not all chocolate is created equal. And not all chocolate desserts are either. In Paris, especially in winter, when the heat won’t destroy these delicate creations, we find a plethora of magical chocolate treats. They are chocolates with a richer, deeper, more unctuous feel and flavor than typically exist in the United States. They are in pastry form, liquid form and candy form. Paired with a wonderful Champagne or a digestive, they are the perfect ending to a meal –or a fabulous treat on their own. Imagine sitting on a Parisian bridge with Champagne and a chocolate truffle from the Maison du Chocolat, for example….Pure Bliss! Of that, we are sure!
Liquid gold: The hot chocolate is thick. Served like an expresso in a small cup, it is an elixor of sorts. No children’s treat, this one. Originally served only to the most privileged. It was a drink served as if it were a coffee. It was black, intense and served as a morning or after meal beverage. This drink is meant to warm, arouse and fill. There are many Parisian boites claiming to be the “best hot chocolate” in. Let us know yours, and we’ll take you to ours!
Little Jewels: Chocolate candies in Paris are small, less sugary bits of wafer thin intense flavor filled with seasonal, sometimes subtle and intriguing ingredients. Champagne truffles. Chocolates filled with flavored ganache. Typicallysmall and delicate these are treated almost like a medicine. The French even refer to the recommended serving size as a “dose”. Chocolate is good for you and you should have just a bit at the end of a meal, or as a late afternoon break. Not packets of sugary froth ---just a taste of something more pure –to warm you up and cheer you up in the cold of winter.
(From the Parisian Christmas markets. Do not miss out on this!)And the pastries….Well, over the holidays, those include whipped, pureed, and melted chocolates flavored and seasoned with hazelnuts, cardamom, cinnamon , walnuts, salted caramel and orange as well as pear, chestnut and liquor. Whether it’s a Bouche de Noel –the famed Christmas log –rolled chocolate cake with a mousse of Grand Marnier (as we had last year) or chestnut or hazelnut…covered in chocolate and decorated with meringue –perhaps confectionary mushrooms and other woodland items –
or an éclair filled with a rich dark chocolate cream –or perhaps even, an opera –with chocolate and hazelnut –it is the lack of sugar and intensity of flavor that make a French pastry distinctive.
We have our favorite places and items for all of these. But, it’s always wonderful to hear other people’s opinions as well. Please let us know what you think.What are the best choices for holiday confections in France? If you introduce us to something new, we will treat you to Champagne and pastry in Paris as our “merci”! N’importe quand. (whenever) you are there!
(Love Brussels too for the holidays and for the chocolate ....mmmmm! Want to come with us, let us know.)A Bientot and happy holiday planning,Wendy
A Blissful Valentine's Day in Paris!
Bliss Travels...to Paris for Valentine's Day. What's up in the city of romance, on the most romantic day of the year! Well, lots! Two of our clients were interviewed by French television and featured on TV, as they enjoyed the things we gave them (a bottle of Champagne, some treats, and a lock for the Pont des Arts). All of our clients enjoyed privately arranged, top, tasting menus special to Valentine's Day. Meals of a lifetime! And, love was everywhere!This wall is an example of living art in Paris. It says I love you in 250 languages!
as are the shops...
and the Parisian fountains...(even the empty ones)
and the shop windows...
And, bien sur, the weddings themselves! Don't forget those! You can always elope to Paris!
Finally, to pay homage to the romantic tradition that resulted in Bliss Travels clients ending up on French television, here's one of Anthony Bianciella's amazing photographs of the very bridge on which it occurred!We hope you can capture a moment with us to travel to France this spring or summer!
3 Myths & Some Advice on Weddings and Elopements in Paris!
So, you want to have your wedding in a place imbued with timeless romance....What could be more romantic than Paris (or Provence)? If you can think of something, let me know!
Myth 1: Destination Weddings are more expensive than weddings at home:
The average cost for a wedding in the United States is $26,542.00. This doesn't include the honeymoon. The average honeymoon price is between $5,200-$10,000 for international travelers (depending upon whether you choose a luxury or standard honeymoon).Destination weddings offer you the opportunity to combine wedding and honeymoon in ways that are very cost effective....And allow you to make your special day a truly unique and memorable experience. Elopements to Paris range from $10,000 to $20,000 and include the ceremony, reception, hotel, meals and "a honeymoon".And, where else can you get a background filled with jaw dropping beauty and world class sites? Champagne on top of the Eiffel Tower? Check! Romantic photos by the Seine river? Check! French pastries and great wines? Check!But, it's not just about money! It's about the most important day of your life.
Myth 2: Destination Weddings are more complicated than weddings at home:And Destination weddings present wonderful opportunities to make your wedding day about you and your love for each other. 
People often think that these events are impossible and difficult to plan because of the distance. Not so. At Bliss Travels, it's simple. We do everything for you (other than say "I do")! You talk with us (in English, in the US). We design your unique wedding weekend or week. And then we make it happen. Think of this as your chance to escape the clutter of daily life, leaving the minutia behind, so you can focus on the most important thing: Your partner and your ceremony.
Destination weddings are for couples who want to focus on each other and their commitment. These couples not only have a sense of adventure, they want to look back on their wedding day and remember each other, not the hoards of people, seating arrangements, and catering problems that typically dominate a wedding. Because you do not have these things to worry about when you go to Paris or Provence for your wedding, the day/weekend/week is much simpler! So, kick your feet up and enjoy your wedding!
Myth 3: You must either celebrate at home (with family and friends) or abroad, and miss out on family and friends:Not so! You can eat your cake and have it too! Certainly, you may have a few people who wish to travel with you.
But, even if that's not possible, it's still possible to share your special day with your loved ones. We work with several photography partners who create DVD slideshows of your ceremony and entire weekend/week as well as video of your ceremony. These are edited, set to music, and presented to you soon after your ceremony. Thus, when you get home we can arrange a champagne reception for your family and friends where your guests get to view your special event!So, if you're ready to be the envy of your friends, create a weekend that is truly unique, and thoroughly enjoy yourself, give Bliss Travels a call!
Thanks to our great photography partners: Anthony Bianciella, Sarah Miller, and Bill Mathesius for allowing us to share their work!
Springtime in Provence, Paris, and Burgundy Too!
Some photos from last April and May. Our trips to Burgundy, Paris and Provence...A picture is worth 1000 words...or maybe more! I know it was Bliss!
We visited a beautiful farm to pick herbs, have a cooking lesson (Provencal cuisine of course) and photograph everything that was in bloom!
- Anthony Bianciella, our amazing photographer, makes the trip even more fun!
Except...luxurious original appointments in our private Burgundy property. Only 4 rooms --and our 7 guests adored being spoiled, thoroughly!Murano chandeliers, original antiques...
- and specially arranged private wine tours. This was a happy group!
- No lines. No buses. We did it all custom and private!
A bientôt! See you all soon....And again! It was Bliss!
5 Reasons to Spend Valentine's Day in Paris (as if you needed even one!)
5 Reasons to spend VALENTINE’S DAY in Paris....As If You Needed One!
1. It's the most romantic day of the year. And the most romantic city in the world. Where else would you be?
2. Propose? Marry? Just escape from it all? Meet the person of your dreams? We’re doing our version of Romantic Bliss over Valentine’s weekend in Paris….You do not want to miss out!
3. What could be better than a romantic hotel, breakfast in bed, private chocolate and wine pairing from a world class chocolatiere, a star studded (Michelin, that is) dining experience customized to the occasion, a saunter through the best that Paris has to offer, and that includes: foie gras, truffles, red wine and more chocolate :)
4. To say "I do" with the Eiffel Tower sparkling behind you....or even better, on top of the Eiffel Tower!
5. To find love in the City of Lights!(If you missed our Blog about the wedding photographer who found love on our photo shoot, check it out now. True story!)Think of these images while you decide whether you want to experience true Bliss! Ask about our exclusive WEDDING IN PARIS and our Valentine's Getaways. Not on the website. Limited sale.Call us when you're ready.....wendy@blisstravels.com. 609 462 6213.
Christmas in Paris: It Must be Time for Something…
Christmas in Paris: It Must be Time for Something…
You know --that moment after you've had lunch, and walked, and seen "everything"...there must be something else to do or have or see....cause this is so much fun!
So, how do you spend a day in Paris over Christmas week? Well, first you…
1.Find an out of the way, top of the top, Bistrot, with a star chef
2.You walk a mile and take the metro –to get there (and stimulate appetite
3.You order: Oysters Tartare with Cream of Lettuce or some other unfathomable but superb combination of ingredients
4.You walk the Christmas markets all afternoon
buying presents and drinking hot spiced wine!
- Enjoy the sights!
Stay tuned for DAY TWO!
6 Holiday Shopping Tips: How to shop in France
Shopping, that "all American sport" is one of those cultural obsessions we share with the French. Paris is one of the shopping meccas of the world
And, although it's done differently, it's something, especially at this time of year that both the French and the Americans do with gusto! Holiday Shopping. Whether you visit the Christmas markets, the shops, Paris or Provence, here are some great tips for how to pick up the best gift and also make the experience one to remember.
Here are some tips to make the most of your experience.1. The French are more formal than Americans in their commercial encounters. Begin each transaction --indeed, each entry into an establishment, with a formal "bonjour". Always say "merci" and "au revoir" as well. We Americans like to pop in and out of stores and, if we aren't seriously considering a purchase we don't like to "bother" the staff. The French see it differently. Whereas we might find it rude to 'interrupt', they find it rude not to say hello and goodbye.
2. Comment on the items for sale. Talk about them. Ask questions. Find out where they're from, or how they're made, or how to wear them etc. There's a lot of merchant pride and there are a lot of small artisans and producers who take great pride in their work, and they will likely show you even more special things, once they see that you care about their craft. Plus, you'll learn a little something and connect with someone. (Bliss always makes it a point to introduce people to at least one artisan producer or craftsperson on our trips so people can learn about the product but more so, connect with a different person and culture --the raison d'être for travel!)
3. When you make a purchase in the United States, you hand the money to the merchant and they put the change back in your hands. In France, the money goes on the little tray in front of the register and the change gets put there as well for you to pick up. Rarely do you see a "hand to hand" transaction.4. More than likely, if you buy something, you will be asked if it's "a gift". If it is, it will be charmingly and uniquely wrapped for you. It's so great to return home and give a gift that not only is unique, but looks unique. So, if it's a gift, by all means say so!5. Remember to visit some of the smaller shops and boutiques, as well as window shopping (or as the French phrase translates --licking the windows!) the big named designer shops. So you can get a taste of the region and culture instead of the world popular market.
6. If you're in the countryside --Provence, for example, find out what the specialty of that town is, and then visit those shops. If you're in Sault, it's Lavender. If you're in other places it's pottery or paint pigments or cherries or a particular type of cheese or candied fruit...You get the idea. Local is extremely significant in France. And local means a very small area. (Let me tell you a story. One evening I was sitting at a friend's dinner table, in a small village in Provence. She had a fabulously delicious olive oil on the table. I complimented her on it and asked if it was local (almost rhetorically, because I assumed it would be). She said no. I was shocked and said, "really?" Her response was telling: "No, it's not local, it's from my grandfather's tree." Now, that's really local!!!Have a Blissful Holiday shopping experience! And write us if we can help!Wendy@blisstravels.com